WEBVTT PRESENT IN FATAL OVERDOSES IS GOING UP. >> PEOPLE THAT ARE IN TREATMENT ARE DOING VERY WELL. >> DIRECTOR OF WORCESTER'S EVERYDAY MIRACLES PEER RECOVERY CENTER SAYS PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST OPIOID ABUSE BUT NOT ENOUGH PROGRESS. AND NOT QUICKLY ENOUGH. THAT FACT IS BORNE OUT IN DATA RELEASED TODAY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH SHOWING THAT OPIOID OVERDOSE DEATHS ARE UP OVERALL FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2016 AND 66% OF THOSE DEATHS TESTED POSITIVE FOR FENTANYL. >> I DON'T SEE THESE NUMBERS GOING DOWN UNTIL WE HAVE MORE PLACES AVAILABLE WHERE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES CAN CALL FOR TREATMENT AND GET TREATMENT THE SAME DAY. >> MORE AND BETTER TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE A LARGE PART OF THE SOLUTION. BUT REDUCING THE AVAILABILITY OF THE DRUG IS HIGHLY LETHAL. THEY ARE NOW WORKING TO HELP THEIR PEERS STAY CLEAN. >> I UNFORTUNATE THAT THE NUMBERS ARE STILL GOING UP. BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE RECOVERY NUMBERS ARE ALSO GOING UP. >> THE STATE POINTS OUT THAT THERE IS NOW ADDITIONAL SPACE AVAILABLE IN RESIDENTIAL RECOVERY CENTERS. THE STATEMENT ALSO POINTS OUT THAT THE OPIOID OVERDOSE

New data: Fentanyl's death toll rises sharply in Massachusetts

Fentanyl involved in 66 percent of overdose deaths so far this year

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Updated: 5:26 PM EDT Aug 3, 2016

BOSTON —

Preliminary data for the first half of 2016 shows a dramatic increase in overdose deaths involving fentanyl, the high-powered synthetic opioid.

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Sixty-six percent of the confirmed opioid-related overdose deaths involved fentanyl, according to the new data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The overall opioid-related death rate is also higher during the first half of 2016 than during the first half of 2015.

Data also indicates that that 199 of the 351 cities and towns in the commonwealth had at least one opioid-related call for emergency medical services during the first three months of this year.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be 50-100 times more potent than morphine. It can be prescribed by doctors for severe pain usually associated with advanced cancer, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns it can also be illegally made and mixed with heroin or cocaine without the user's knowledge.

The drug was linked to the death of pop superstar Prince earlier this year.

In part because fentanyl is so powerful, it now takes an average of 1.4 doses of naloxone -- known by the brand name Narcan -- to reverse overdoses, DPH said.

During 2014, fentanyl was confiscated by local Massachusetts law enforcement agencies in 630 cases. According to a CDC report, Ohio was the only state to have more cases during that year.

Nearly 2 million Americans either abused or became addicted to prescription opioid drugs including Fentanyl during 2014, according to the CDC.

Patients are more likely to become addicted if they have a personal or family history of substance abuse, including alcohol, tobacco or drugs.

Along with the new data on confirmed and estimated overdose deaths this year, DPH is also revising totals from past years. They now report 1,531 deaths during 2015 and 1,294 during 2014.

Massachusetts is planning to implement a new prescription monitoring program later this month to track the number of prescriptions being written for powerful opioids. The state is also opening new beds for addition treatment, including 30 at Taunton State Hospital and 64 in Greenfield.